K-State Begins Season with Second and Third Place Team Finishes

Saturday, September 2

Wichita, Kan.

8:30 a.m.

Kansas State University

JK Gold Classic

K-State Begins Season with Second and Third Place Team Finishes

Sep 02, 2017 | Cross Country

2017 JK Gold Classic Results Photo Gallery

MANHATTAN, Kan. – The K-State men's and women's cross country teams opened their 2017 season at the 69^th annual J.K. Gold Invitational on Saturday, with the women's team finishing second (26 pts.) and the men's team placing third (46 pts.). Meet host Wichita State won the men's event with a score of 27, while Missouri took the women's crown with a score of 24.

The K-State women were led by sophomore Sydney Collins who finished the 4k race with a career-best ninth place finish and a time of 14:26.1. Collins was followed by junior Emma Wren and freshman Cara Melgares who finished 10^th (14:27.0) and 12^th(14:29.5), respectively.

"The women didn't run as a group like we had planned, but that is something that we will work out and improve going forward," head coach Ryun Godfrey said after the meet. "Overall, we had some freshman come out and run their first college meet and performed pretty well."

The group of freshmen was headed by Melgares, followed by Kassidy Johnson with a 35^th place finish (15:17.8) and Victoria Robinson who came in 53^rd (15:51.5).

On the men's side, senior Colton Donahue led the pack with an 18^th place finish (19:12.3) and was closely followed by Brett Bachman (19^th place, 19:13.2) in the men's 6k race. A group of Wildcats including Joe Gorthy, Nicholas Skinner, Jeff Bachman, Bryan Zack and Lukas Koch filled in the 24^th-28^th places.

"Everyone did what we were trying to accomplish, I thought they looked really good," Godfrey said of the men's team. "It was really the way we wanted to start, to stick together as a pack and finish strong."

Among the freshman making their debut on the men's squad, Noah Stevenson placed 46^th with a time of 20:09.5 and Travis Hodge placed 63^rd with a time of 20:49.2.

The J.K. Gold Invitational marks the first meet of the 2017 season for the K-State squad, with the succeeding Jay Dirksen/Woody Greeno Invitational coming on September 16 in Lincoln, Neb.

J.K. Gold Classic
Four Mile Creek Resort
Wichita, Kansas

Men's Individual Top-5: 1. Joe Harder, Wichita State (18:21.3); 2. Nathan Wickoren, Wichita State (18:26.4); 3. Brian Newkirk, Emporia State (18:35.9); 4. Zack Penrod, Wichita State (18:41.0); 5. Gage Garcia, Wichita State (18:47.3).

K-State Men's Finishes: 18. Colton Donahue (19:12.3); 19. Brett Bachman (19:13.2); 24. Joe Gorthy (19:20.8); 25. Nicholas Skinner (19:21.5); 26. Jeff Bachman (19:21.7); 27. Bryan Zack (19:21.7); 28. Lukas Koch (19:22.0); 38. Keegan Donahue (19:52.1); 46. Noah Stevenson (20:09.5); 49. Sam Oxandale (20:11.9); 60. Chris Sandquist (20:42.2); 63. Travis Hodge (20:49.2).

Women's Individual Top-5: 1. Rebekah Topham, Wichita State (13:39.6); 2. Tonya Nero, Wichita State (13:42.1); 3. Jessica Allen, Missouri State (14:07.8); 4. Jordyn Kleve (14:09.2); 5. Kaitlyn Fischer (14:09.3).

K-State Women's Finishes: 9. Sydney Collins (14:26.1); 10. Emma Wren (14:27.0); 12. Cara Melgares (14:29.5); 13. Kayla Doll (14:30.4); 35. Kassidy Johnson (15:17.8); 53. Victoria Robinson (15:51.5); 59. Anna Keeley (15:58.9).

For the latest on K-State cross country, follow @kstatesports and @KStateTFXC on Twitter using the hashtag #KStateXC or on the team's Facebook page.